How to Make a Semi-Bare Coconut Cake

How to make a Semi-bare coconut cake with vanilla frosting. It’s the perfect cake on the dessert table for all your Spring events.

white layered cake with coconut on a white cake plate

Semi Bare Coconut Cake

I will use any excuse to make a cake, especially a pretty one. I wanted to make a cake for my sweet friend the other day so I whipped up this semi-bare coconut cake. It’s a layered vanilla cake (I used a box mix) sprinkled with shredded coconut. So that it wasn’t overly sweet ( frosting and coconut), I decided to skim the sides with frosting giving it a semi-bare look.

What I love about this cake is that it takes no time at all ( especially if you go with a box mix) but yet it looks like you put more time and effort into it than you really did.

Make your cake

The first step is to make your cake. You can either go totally homemade or use a box mix. Regardless, make sure it’s vanilla flavor or white cake mix. Preheat the oven and follow your recipe.

If you want a super white cake then use egg whites only. This is key to having a white cake. The egg yolk will make the cake yellow.

I use 6-inch cake pans for most of my cakes. When you layer them, they really are the perfect size cake. For one box of cake mix, I filled 5 cake pans and was able to make two cakes.

mini cake pans in an over — **6-inch cake layer pans**

Frost your cake

For the fun part, it’s time to frost your cake. After your cake is done baking, let it cool completely before frosting. I typically wrap my cake layers in parchment paper and stick them in the refrigerator or freezer for an hour or so (depending on how anxious I am).

layered cake with white frosting in between layers — Frost in between the cake layers

white frosting on top of cake — Frost in between the cake layers

Sprinkle your shredded coconut on the top and sides of your cake. For extra coconut, sprinkle coconut between each layer.

coconut cake from above — **Cake Boards**

Refrigerate the cake for at least 30 mins before serving, so the coconut sets on the frosting. If I am packaging up the cake, I use these cake boxes. They are perfect for the 6-inch layered cake.